1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to skin or surface abrasion apparatus and methods, and more specifically to semi-automatic handpieces used in dermabrasion.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
It is often desirable to abrade the outer layer or epidermis of the skin in order to smooth or blend scars, or blemishes caused by acne for example. The techniques employed have been separated generally into two fields referred to as dermabrasion and microdermabrasion. With microdermabrasion, a sand or grit is carried by an air flow which is directed against the skin. The momentum of the grit tends to wear away two to three cell layers of the skin with each pass of a handpiece.
Dermabrasion refers generally to the mechanical movement of an abrasive element against the skin. A handpiece is employed which may include a pneumatic or electric motor which drives the abrasive element typically in the form of a burr, wheel, or disk. This process tends to be relatively painful and messy.
Dermabrasion has also been accomplished using a semi-automatic handpiece having a grit fixed to its outer surface. The handpiece is then moved over the skin causing the grit to abrade the cell layers. Suction has been applied to the semi-automatic handpiece through a hole which extends to the outer surface carrying the grit. As the skin is drawn into the hole, it is also pulled against the grit surrounding the hole on the outer surface of the handpiece. This is also a fairly messy procedure since the abrasion takes place outside of the handpiece. In this device, no attempt has been made to use the suction to remove the debris.
In accordance with the present invention, a semi-automatic handpiece is disclosed which uses suction to clear the debris from the operative site. Suction is applied to the handpiece to draw skin through a hole and into the handpiece. Within the handpiece, this skin extending through the hole is drawn onto an abrasive surface. As the handpiece is moved over the skin, progressive areas of the skin are drawn into the handpiece and abraded. This suction also creates a seal with the outer edges of the hole so debris abraded from the skin interiorly of the handpiece can be drawn away by the suction.
The abrasive element within the handpiece can be made disposable so that a new abrasion element is available for each reuse of the handpiece. A set of abrasive elements can be provided with different abrasion characteristics to provide for coarse and fine adjustments in the process. The handpiece can be formed with a housing having a body and a cap removable from the body to access the abrasive element.
In one aspect of the invention a dermabrasion handpiece is adapted for use in abrading the skin of a patient. The handpiece includes a housing extending along an axis between a proximal end and a distal end. Portions of the housing define a hole at the distal end of the handpiece. An abrasion element is disposed in the housing in proximity to the hole. The housing is adapted for connection to a vacuum source so that, in operation, a portion of the skin is drawn through the hole and moved into contact with the abrasion element. Movement of the handpiece relative to the skin abrades tissue from the skin portion extend through the hole.
In another aspect of the invention, a method for abrading the skin of the patient includes the step of providing a handpiece with a hole and moving a portion of the skin through the hole and into the handpiece. Ultimately, the skin portion moved through the hole of the handpiece is abraded within the handpiece.
In a further aspect of the invention a method for operating a skin abrader includes the steps of providing a housing with a base and a cap separable to provide access to an abrasion element within the housing. A series of abrasion elements is provided, each having different abrasion characteristics. From this series, a particular one of the elements can be chosen for the specific abrasion characteristics described. The cap is removed from the base and the chosen element is mounted within the cap or the base. The cap is then replaced on the base with the abrasion element disposed in the housing.